Damsel No More
by Levy12
Summary: The sharp lance of pain through his shoulder was enough to make his eyes snap open in shock. "Why Orihime? Why are you doing this?" He used her first name, hoping that its use would help him get through to her. "I'm doing this... to protect you Kurosaki." There was a flash of golden light and Zangetsu fell out of his hand. Rated T for now
1. Chapter 1: Stuck

**AN: My spin on an Ichihime story. I adore the pairing and I hope you all enjoy this.**

**Disclaimer: Do I really have to? I don't own any of the characters.**

Orihime

She stared out the window as she saw the flash of black, white, and orange, her mind instantly forming the name of the person without really needing any confirmation.

_Kurosaki-kun._

She continued to stare at the trees just outside of the school, their leaves softly moving with the breeze. His reiatsu was strong and moving fast towards the comparatively smaller reiatsu of the hollow that had just appeared. Orhime smiled. It was good to see Kurosaki-kun happy again. His powers made him happy. Protecting people made him happy.

It made her happy.

She could sense the happiness in him after he defeated every hollow. Saw the enthusiasm with which he dashed off to defend whichever poor soul the hollow had decided to attack. He was back. Her Kurosaki-kun was back.

"_He's not yours."_

A small voice, so small that she could play it off as non-existent, refuted her thoughts. She hadn't heard that voice in a while. Not since…

She shook her head. It wouldn't do to allow her thoughts to wonder down that particular road. Orihime had fought so hard to tame it. It had no business in her present life. It was the unwanted remains of dark time she wished she could erase. At least the scars it had left behind. And the pain it had caused Kurosaki-kun for 17 months. Seventeen months of constant blank looks, of powerlessness, of regret.

She didn't want him to be in pain, she hated seeing that. She wasn't naïve, she knew that she wouldn't be able to stop it every time, but she would always be available to him. If he ever needed her.

"And that's it for today!" She glanced back up as her sensei snapped the book she was reading out of shut, a smile on her face as she instructed them to finish their homework by tonight. Almost instantly the sound of chairs scraping against the floor as students hurried to leave filled the room. Orihime glanced over at Kurosaki-kun's body, still slumped forward as if he was asleep. _He must have forgotten Kon_, she thought as she started moving towards him. She could sense his reiatsu, coming back after having dealt with the hollow easily. She started packing up his stuff for him, ignoring the curios glances her classmates threw her.

She finished just as Kurosaki-kun flew in through the open window. She quickly moved to the side as he sank back into his body, and blew out a sigh of relief that he hadn't taken too long to get here.

"I-inoue?" his voice drew her attention back to him, and she smiled.

"Kurosaki-kun! I thought I would help you pack you stuff," looking around she leaned in closer to him, lowering her voice just enough for him and for the nearest student to hear. "It seems like you kind of fell asleep."

_That ought to do it!_ She thought triumphantly as she said the words that would guarantee her and his release from any sort of suspicion. _We can't let them know our secret! If they find out they'll start asking us to talk to their loved ones, ask us to communicate through them and force us to abandon our lives as we become pseudo-bodies for their dead relatives! We'll have to escape, but they'll find us and threaten to kill us unless we promise to help them…_

"Inoue!" She looked around at the sound of Kurosaki-kun's voice. He was standing by her desk, holding her book bag out to her. The classroom was empty now except for the two of them. She smiled lightly as she walked back over, blushing just a little bit at the look of amusement on his face as he caught her day dreaming again.

"Thank you, Kurosaki-kun!" She said, happily accepting the book bag from him. She noticed that he must have packed her things up as well, since everything was in there and she hadn't done so herself before going over to help him.

"Nah, don't mention it."

"Well, I should get going, I have to get ready for work in a little bit."

"Is Tatsuki going with you?" He asked, watching as she quickly turned back around at his question.

"No, she says she has practice and won't be able to walk with me. It's okay though, it's really not that big of a…"

"I'll walk with you." He said, and started to head towards the door.

"Kurosaki-kun, that's not necessary!" She instantly denied, waving her small hands frantically in front of her. Kurosaki-kun walking her home would be too much! Her small heart wouldn't be able to handle it, she'd show up to work all flustered and she'd never get any good sales done. She'd be fired before she knew it!

"It's no problem, your place is on the way and you really shouldn't walk alone. Tatsuki would slay me if she knew I let you go by yourself."

Orihime lowered her hands and gave him a small smile at his words. _He was only being nice_, she reasoned. _It would be rude to deny his offer, even if it is a little selfish for me to want him to come… right?_

"Okay!"

Ichigo

_Inoue sure is a strange one_, he chuckled to himself as he watched her dance around in front of him. Halfway on the way to her apartment he had looked over to see her eyes glazed over as she most likely lost herself in one of her many daydreams. He often found himself wondering just what was it that went on in her mind that caused her to constantly lose touch with reality. Was it good? Did her imagination offer her some sort of refuge from everything that seemed to plague them. He couldn't help the small pang of embarrassment as he realized that he was sort of jealous of her ability to just escape for a while.

This of course didn't last very long, because as soon as he thought this she started to pump her tiny fist in the air, making a small pout and proceeded to twirl and dance around, skipping ahead of him.

He chuckled at her moving figure as he kept walking leisurely behind her. Leave it to Inoue to find something interesting in whatever crossed her imagination. He sped up a little bit to catch up to the red-head just as she made a turn at one of the streets.

Suddenly she was spinning, her shoe getting caught on the post in the corner, throwing her off balance and forcing him to reach out and grab her before she fell to the ground. He pulled her towards him to keep her from falling forward, and Inoue ended up pressed against him, her face buried in his chest as he grabbed both of her arms to steady her.

Inoue looked up, and almost instantly a small blush stained her cheeks. She was so close Ichigo could smell her scent, soft and almost floral. Their faces were close, closer than she'd ever been to him, he could see her teeth as she bit down on her plump lower lip…

"All you alright Inoue?" Ichigo took the opportunity to put some distance between himself and the red-headed girl. _"What was that just now?"_

"Y-yeah, thank you Kurosaki-kun."

"Nah, don't worry about it." He dismissed her with a wave of his hand and started walking in the direction of her apartment. Ichigo didn't notice as Inoue walked behind him, perfectly calm now as the pink of her blush still stained her cheek.

Orihime

_He really is very sweet,_ the red-head thought to herself as took a sip of her tea. She had finished doing everything else and was putting off having to go to the store for her weekly groceries trip. Usually she was more than happy to go and restock on all of her favorite delicacies (_seriously didn't everybody like wasabi and red bean paste?), _but the thought of heading outside seemed daunting to her for some reason. It had started to get unseasonably cold and cloudy after Ichigo had dropped her off. Another blush decorated her cheeks as she recalled his chivalrous offer to walk her home, and then later when he saved her from doom… he had been so close…

_Stop it!_ Orihime shook her head to rid herself of those thoughts.

"_They'll only get you nowhere."_ There it was again, that voice that she was always positive she imagined. It sounded like her, but at the same time it didn't. Why was it getting louder, more vocal, especially after so long? Why now?

She stood up, determined to distracter herself from this problem. It didn't need to be dealt with now, or even acknowledged as a problem for the time being. There would be plenty of time later… right?

Before she knew it she was standing out in the cold and walking fast down the stairs as she headed towards the store. _Think happy thoughts! Think about the rain, it's always so nice, and it does leave the streets shining and reflecting the lights of the street lamps._

Off in the distance, a garganta opened and a hollow stepped out.


	2. Chapter 2:Powerless

**AN: I apologize, something went wrong when I updated the last chapter and some of the time separations disappeared, I will reupload chapter one later to have it fixed, but for now, not so much. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this.**

**Disclaimer: Yeah well you know yeah, I wish I did.**

* * *

Orihime

She turned her head at the sound of the howl, or roar? It was always a strange mixture of the two. The sound of a predator ready to pounce, and the strangled cry of the prey as it is caught. She grasped her head between her hands, sinking to her knees as she grabbed fistfuls of her own hair.

Why was she so weak? She couldn't even hope to fight against one hollow. It was coming towards her, she could sense it. Obviously it had caught the feel of her reiatsu. Not particularly strong for a hollow or a shinigami, but powerful for a human. She was sure it knew she would make a delicious meal.

"_Get up."_

The words weren't her own. It wasn't any of the Shun Shun Rika. It was that… thing. Deep inside her.

"_Get up."_

Again, and again the words rang in her head. The ground around her shook as the hollow rounded the corner and zeroed in on her. It roared again, the sound torturing her ears.

"_Get up!"_

Her body began to move, her limbs moving on their own as if they no longer needed her guidance to do so. Dark reiatsu formed around them, its feel powerful and completely strange to her.

Ulquiorra's emotionless green eyes peered at her from behind her hands.

No… not emotionless. There was something inside them. Very deep, hidden and buried, but existent nonetheless. The smallest sparks of life, of emotion.

"Is this the heart?"

She couldn't answer him then. She had wanted to. But her mind had gone blank. She was sure she knew what a heart was. It was this thing beating inside of her. The thing that let her know her friends were safe… or at the very least alive. But watching him wither away into nothingness, she had lost it. She had lost her ability to know where her heart was.

He had been dying. He had been the enemy. He had killed Kurosaki-kun. So why had her chest ached so? Throbbing, aching, and so completely empty?

And simultaneously, completely different, and greater still; her chest had ached for the man behind her. The man who had turned into a hollow and fought to the death for her.

Did that make her a traitor? Ungrateful? Did her grief for the death of Ulquiorra make her those things?

In her very bones she knew the answer. Yes. In some way. It did.

She had been so stupid and childish! She had seriously thought that she was doing the right thing. That she was saving everybody.

"_There's no use thinking about it now. It's all done."_

It was right. As hateful as the voice was, and as much as she wished it would go away, she knew that it was right. To throw her life away now would be ungrateful towards everyone that had fought and nearly died to rescue her.

The dark green reiatsu mixed with her golden reiatsu.

The hollow charged towards her, head lowered as it prepared to run her through with its wicked horns. Tsubaki flowed out and located itself between her hands. He looked at her, shock replacing his usual scowl and fierce determination.

"I reject."

The steadiness of her voice was calming. It was strong and sure, and as the words left her mouth Tsubaki shot forward, the reiatsu around him dense and powerful, a mixture of her golden light and the new, strange dark green.

The hollow screeched as he was ripped in half, its body quickly disintegrating as it fell apart.

"Woman, what was that?"

The rest of the Shun Shun Rika flowed out, the six of them surrounding her with identical expressions of shock and concern.

"I don't know, Tsubaki-kun."

"That power wasn't just Tsubaki, Orihime-chan, it almost felt like you mixed it with…"

"Don't!" Orihime closed her eyes, falling to her knees again. "Please don't, it can't be."

Ayame and Lilly exchanged knowing looks.

"You need help Orihime-chan, before this becomes bigge."

With that said the Shun Shun Rika returned to her hair-clips. She was right, she needed help. Though she didn't want to admit it, because admitting it would mean she was every bit as despicable and twisted as she feared she was, she needed help.

Behind her closed eyes, she saw the hand of Aizen rise towards her, covered in the strange power of the Hokyoku.

"Inoue?"

* * *

Ichigo

Something was wrong, he could feel it. Inoue's normally gentle reiatsu was fluctuating, rising and falling so fast it was hard to keep up. And there was something else wrong with it; it was cold, and almost unrecognizable. Except for the fact that he _knew _it was Inoue's. What was going on with her?

He rounded the corner just in time to see the hollow disintegrate, and Inoue fall to her knees.

What shocked him the most was that he was sure that the Koten Zashun had been darker than it normally was, slicing through the Adjuchas class hollow.

When had she grown strong enough to take on an Adjuchas?

"Inoue?"

She turned around, her hair flying wildly around her face as she lifted her shocked gaze on him. Her red nose and eyes held the telltale signs of someone who had been crying. Almost immediately he found himself wondering why she'd been crying, who had caused it, and what he could do to make her better.

"K-Kurosaki-kun! What are you doing here?"

"My combat pass was acting up, thought I should come."

Her cheeks stained a light pink as she thumped herself on the head, smiling at Ichigo as if reprimanding herself for something. "Of course! I forgot all about it, of course you came to see." As she finished her sentence her voice trailed off to a whisper. Her eyes fell to her hands, her gaze so lost and pained that it made Ichigo flinch at it. _What is going on with her?_

"_Hmmm, interesting…"_

For the first time in what felt like forever he heard the voice of his zanpakuto, though it was no longer feared or despised. He knew better now, and he paid attention as the being regarded the girl in front of him with curiosity.

_What? Do you see something?_

"_Calm down, I said no such thing,"_ Zangetsu chuckled and sighed. _"There's something different about her though, something familiar."_

_Out with it!_

"_Calm down King! I don't particularly enjoy putting thoughts in your head. The last time this girl was involved in something you ended up losing your powers, and I don't particularly feel like slipping into nonexistence again."_

_Inoue had nothing to do with that. That was completely on me._

"_Whatever, like I said I'm not even sure I'm right anyway. Better not point a false finger, you might try to run me through again, and boy did I not miss that."_

"Kurosaki-kun?"

"Oh, Inoue what's up?"

"I'm going home now." She said, already on her feet again and smiling at him.

He narrowed his eyes at her smile. Inoue really was a bad liar, even when it came to lying with her body.

"What were you doing out so late?"

She jammed her thumb behind her, pointing to the small grocery store just down the road.

"Getting my delicious treats!" She affirmed with a more genuine smile. Her mouth made a small o as her eyes widened for just a second before she turned around and headed towards the sidewalk. Ichigo watched her with interest as she bent over to pick up a big bag. She turned around and walked back to him, lifting up the bag filled with groceries for him to see. "I was running low and today was my food-purchasing day."

"Alright alright I believe you, but I'm walking you home."

"There's no need Kurosaki-kun…"

"Don't try to stop me, I'm making sure you get home safe, especially after a hollow attack like that-" He stopped short as another thought occurred to him, his eyes widening as he looked at the girl in front of him closer. There wasn't a single scratch on her, which could only mean one thing. _Did she really take out that hollow in one shot?_ "Inoue?"

"Yes?"

"How exactly did you destroy that hollow?"

She tilted her head to the side at his question, regarding him with a small curiosity.

"Tsubaki," she answered, and he felt his left eye twitch a little bit at her one worded answer. Obviously, but that wasn't exactly what he meant.

"No, I mean, that hollow was pretty strong."

"I'm strong too!" She said, puffing out her cheeks and throwing her chest out in a childish display of might. The action caused her bosom to bounce and drew Ichigo's eyes to it.

"_Eh King, who woulda thought you had it in you?"_

_Shut up!_

He quickly turned his head, finding the most interesting brick on the side of the building across the street. He was not a pervert damn it! He would leave that role to Kon and Keigo. Besides he was still a teenage guy, no one could blame him.

"_Except for her," _His zanpakuto teasingly added.

_I said shut up!_

Zangetsu listened for once, and Ichigo felt him slip back into the corner of his mind, obviously having lost interest in the events.

"No really!"

"Stop arguing and let's go, I lazed off this afternoon and didn't do my homework." Without another word he turned around started heading towards her apartment for the second time that day, speeding up to his normal pace when he heard the sound of her footsteps following him.

* * *

Orihime

"That's twice in one day," she said as she leaned against the door. Kurosaki-kun had left just a minute ago, and the red-head had watched him shunpo across the rooftops until she could no longer see him. "I really shouldn't let him walk me home so much, he might get annoyed."

Though he did seem rather stern about her fighting him on it.

"He's always so sweet." She said aloud again, staring back up at the ceiling.

But then there was his question, the one that had nearly caused her heart to stop. It had taken everything she had not to start freaking out as he noticed that her opponent had been much stronger than she was supposed to be. At least, as strong as he remembered her.

_I have to do something about this power. I can't…_

She stood up, her food lying forgotten on her small kitchen table as she made up her mind.

* * *

"Oy, there's someone here to see you!"

"Really, who is it?" The large man turned at sound of Lisa calling out to him. He smiled as he recognized the red-headed girl behind her.

"Good evening, Hatchi-san. I know it's late, but I really need your help…"

**So what do you think? Interesting or not? Please leave a review and let me know your thoughts, it's always awesome getting feedback and helpful hints.**


	3. Chapter 3:Suspicious

**AN: Thank you all for the reviews! Equally as exciting is when I get those little email alerts telling someone has subscribed/favorited the story! Everyone should definitely review more! Because that would just be ten different kinds of awesome, don't quote me on that though, I'm just estimating.**

**Here is chapter three, hope you all enjoy. I will be attempting to update as often as possible, but the updates will be irregular.**

* * *

Chapter 3: Suspicions

Ichigo

_2 Weeks Later…_

Ichigo glanced over at her empty desk for what felt like the millionth time that day. Normally he would have been more perturbed by the fact that he couldn't keep his thoughts off the missing the girl than anything else, but for now all he could feel was the concern. He hadn't seen her at all since he walked her home two weeks ago after her hollow attack, and the only thing that kept him from truly starting to panic about the whereabouts of the missing girl was that Tatsuki hadn't confronted him about anything. Ichigo was positive that as long as Tatsuki wasn't worried, he needn't be either.

But still, it was hard to ignore that she had been gone for so long. Usually the ones who disappeared like that was him, Ishida, or Chad. This kind of absenteeism was unusual for her. Where was she?

"_A little obsessed there aren't we King?"_

His eyebrow twitched at Zangetsu's little jibe. The zanpakuto had been uncharacteristically vocal these last couple weeks, and he was sure that the entity mainly did it to bug him. He may accept him now, but that didn't mean Zangetsu didn't enjoy perturbing him on occasion.

Sensing his King's annoyance the zanpakuto once again retreated into his own corner, a newfound habit that Ichigo found especially annoying.

There was no way that he was starting to get obsessed; it was a perfectly normal and healthy amount of concern for a close friend. _There!_ He thought almost smugly.

"Kurosaki! If you could please stop day dreaming and focus on the lecture that would be most appreciated!" His sensei's shout snapped his attention back to the front of the classroom. Without even realizing it he had started to simply stare out the window, making his sensei painfully aware that the young red-head wasn't paying attention. He scowled as he looked back down at his notes and proceeded to jot down everything she said, occasionally looking up at the board to write down whatever example she had drawn up there.

"Kurosaki, you seemed a little more than distracted today." Ishida's voice reached him as he reached the front of the school. Turning around he saw Chad and Ishida walking towards him, similar expressions on their faces, though the exact meaning to these expressions were lost on Ichigo, he couldn't quite place the exact emotion they represented.

"Nah, just didn't sleep enough last night."

Ishida pushed his glasses up his nose as he fixed Ichigo with a knowing look. "You're worried about Inoue-san too aren't you?"

"What makes you think I'm worried?" _And why am I denying it? _

"It's not like Inoue to miss a day of class, much less two weeks," Chad added, his expression passive as always.

"It's a little troublesome, but Tatsuki hasn't said anything, so I doubt Inoue is in any real danger. Not like the last time…" Ichigo trailed off as he realized the trail that particular thought would lead him down. It wasn't something he liked to relive… at all.

"Hmm, regardless I'll be stopping by her apartment later to check up on her. Frankly I feel like I should have done so sooner, but Inoue-san doesn't like it when people make a big fuss over her."

"Yeah…" Ichigo missed the look Chad and Ishida exchanged, still lost in the memories of that time that seemed like a lifetime ago.

"You should come with." Chad insisted, giving Ichigo one of his no nonsense look.

Ichigo raised an eyebrow at the two of them before sighing. Without looking back he began to walk down the familiar street that led to Inoue's apartment. It seemed like he was headed to the place more and more recently, a fact that his zanpakuto had already commented on, and that he blatantly refused to accept meant anything. Besides, what was there for it to mean anyway?

The three of them walked in silence, each wrapped up in their own thoughts. Normally they would have simply tried to feel for Inoue's reiatsu coming from her apartment, but the red-headed girl had become surprisingly adept at hiding the presence of her reiatsu over the last seventeen months. So much so that she did it almost without thinking about it, and sliped only when she became scared or agitated.

"Oy, Inoue! Open up!"

"Kurosaki, it's rude to pound on the door like that! Remember that Inoue is a lady and you should behave accordingly."

"What?" Ichigo turned his disbelieving gaze to look at Ishida. The small smirk that spread over his face caused Ishida to growl in irritation.

"What's so amuzing!"

"Oh nothing, It's just that this is the first time I've ever seen you act so chivalrous."

Ishida did not miss his mocking tone, and with a small smirk he pushed up his glasses. "Really Kurosaki? I would have thought you of all people would act more chivalrous towards Inoue-san."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ichigo shouted, already leaving the door and heading towards Ishida with his fists raised. Ishida firmly stood his ground, and soon the two men were practically head-butting each other.

"Ichigo, Ishida, Inoue isn't here."

"What?" the two men said in unison.

"She would have answered the door by now, it's not like Inoue to not answer the door after the first knock."

"Great, that just means I have more time to kick your ass."

"Bring it Kurosaki!"

* * *

Orihime

"I'm sorry, Hachi-san."

"Don't worry Orihime-chan, this small wound is nothing. The good thing is that you're here."

Orihime's hands clenched in the fabric of her skirt as her tears flowed freely.

"Orihime-chan, what matters is that you mastered control."

Orihime nodded, but the tears continued to flow.

* * *

"Inoue-san, I see you have decided to join us."

"I'm sorry I was gone for so long sensei!" Orihime bowed low in apology, eyes closed as she waited for the reprimanding that her teacher was sure to give her.

"It's okay Inoue-san, I saved all your homework for you. With your record you should be back on track in no time, please take your seat."

Orihime opened her eyes and unbent herself to look at her teacher. The older woman was regarding Orihime with amused eyes, obviously enjoying the tension she was sure Orihime had carried while expecting to be heavily punished for her absences.

"Okay, thank you sensei!" Orihime quickly went to her seat, blushing furiously at the fact that everything had just transpired in front of her classmates, many of whom were glaring at her for being able to get off so lightly. She went to her usual seat, before realizing that it was already occupied. Orihime's eyes widened as the current occupant looked at her with equal confusion, but obviously made no move to vacant the seat.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you Inou-san! We had a new student transfer into the class, so I made some seating rearrangements. You'll be sitting over there, behind Kursaki-san."

_Why?_ She almost squeaked the word out loud as she turned to look at the person her teacher was pointing to. A small frown appeared on his face, and she realized how her flustering reaction must look like to him. _He must think I don't want to sit anywhere near him._

Willing her reluctant heart to slow down enough so that he wouldn't be able to hear its frantic beating (she was positive it was so loud he would be able to hear it if she got close enough) she smiled at him and hurried over to her new seat. As soon as she took her place and began to pull out her materials Kurosaki-kun turned around and regarded her with his usual scowl. Normally anybody would have thought he was looking at her with displeasure; however experience let her know that this particular scowl was from concern and not unfriendliness.

"Where have you been Inoue?" his question caught her off guard, despite her having anticipated him displaying some type of worry over her.

"I've been away, Kurosaki-kun. There was something important I had to do." _There, it's the truth, not all of it but Kurosaki-kun doesn't need anything else to worry him._

His scowl deepened, and she felt the same desire to reach out and caress the pucker in between his brows that always seized her. She clasped her hands firmly in front of her to keep the offending body parts from doing anything that might embarrass her.

"We'll talk later," His tone carried a note of finality, and with that he turned around.

* * *

**AN: Here we go, it's not as long as I was hoping it would be but this was the place where it cut off the best for the next chapter. Thank you for all the reviews! For obvious reasons I can't say anything that might or might not reveal future plot points.**

**Please review!**

**Also if you're wondering why you didn't get to see/read about the training session Orihime had with Hachi, do not worry, all will be revealed in due time.**


	4. Chapter 4:Developments

**AN: So I apologize for the lack of action/anything really happening in the last chapter, it was more to establish the fact that Ichigo is becoming worried/more aware of Orihime than anything else. There have been some questions about Orihime's powers and all I can say is, I have a very nice surprise for you all in store. With that being said, I have finally solidified the rest of the storyline (in my head of course) and it'll make writing this so much easier.**

**I'm rambling now so here we go.**

**Onwards…**

* * *

Chapter 4: Threatened

Orihime

Counting the two previous times that Kurosaki-kun had offered to walk her home, this would make the third one. What was that saying she heard about three times meaning something?

Once….

Twice….

Thrice….

_Oh there's no way I'll be able to remember it now._ She shrugged and continued to stare at the back of her friend, enjoying the movement of strong muscle visible underneath his white school shirt. It didn't matter how many times he offered to walk her home, it would always be with the same friendly intentions. Nothing more.

She stiffened as she waited the snarky reaction of the voice that she was sure would come, but then quickly relaxed.

_That's right, that voice won't talk to me again. Not after I…_

"Inoue? What's got you so distracted?"

She stopped short as she realized that Kurosaki-kun had stopped walking when he asked her his question. Pulling back quickly from her inappropriately close distance, she raised her sight to his face. It betrayed just the tiniest bit of surprise for an instant, before settling back into his usual everyday scowl.

"Just thinking about something that had been bothering me for a while; I fixed it though Kurosaki-kun." She had to work hard to keep the frown that desperately wanted to fight its way onto her face. Orihime didn't like giving him these constant half-truths, they were vague and he would undoubtedly know that she was keeping something from him. But they were unavoidable, Kurosaki-kun could never find out. If he ever did, surely he would never think of her the same way.

"This thing that was bothering you, is it the reason you were gone for so long?" His gaze wasn't prying, or even suspicious. It contained all the concern of a close friend, and she couldn't help the warm feeling that spread through her chest at the sight of his beautiful brown eyes gazing at her like that.

"Yes, it was."

"Alright then, that's all I need to know."

Had she heard right? Was she really being let off the hook so easily?

"R-really Kurosaki-kun?"

"Yeah, why not?" He turned his face to look at the river, his eyes reflecting the beauty of the light dancing off the water as the sun began to set. "You've never lied to me, and if you say you've dealt with it, then I believe you."

"K-kurosaki-kun…"

He turned and looked at her again, and this time a kind smile worked its way onto his lips, and she couldn't help smiling in return.

"I don't like to be nosy, and if you want to keep the specifics to yourself, that's all I need to know. If it was something that you needed help with, you'd have asked for it… right?" His eyebrow rose, and she blushed at the look he gave her.

"Right!" This time he waited for her to get in front of him before they continued on their way.

* * *

Ichigo

He watched her as she started walking in front of him. He wasn't exactly sure if not pressuring her for further information was the smartest thing to do, but he did know that he didn't like it when other people tried to get into his business, his family especially. Orihime had always respected his privacy, and now it was his turn to respect hers.

But even so, he didn't like that she had had a problem so severe that she had missed school for two weeks, dealt with or not. She should have come to him, they were friends after all. She should know by now that anything that bothered her she could trust him to help her.

_Knowing it or not though, that's the kind of person she is. Always thinking about others and their inconveniences before thinking about herself. She sure is backwards, anyone else would have sought help from their friends right away._

"_Unless, it's something you couldn't help her with."_

He froze for a second at the voice of his zanpakuto intruded on his thoughts, only this time; it wasn't the hollow Zangetsu, but rather the other one. The one that looked like Juhah Bach. He must have sensed something serious to have spoken up. The other zanpakuto preferred to exist in silence, and had rarely spoken to Ichigo ever since the invasion of the Gotei 13. For a while Ichigo thought that maybe the spirit had been sulking or brooding, before realizing that it had simply decided to stay quiet out of its own desire.

Old-Man Zangetsu ignored Ichigo's thoughts as he continued to observe Inoue through Ichigo's eyes. _"I sense a strange power around the girl. She is very much different from how she was before, almost as if…"_

_What is it?_ Ichigo demanded, concern flaring up in him like a wild-fire. Old-Man Zangetsu wasn't one to get flustered easily, and Ichigo could sense nothing but apprehension flowing from the other spirit.

"_No, I must be imagining things. It's impossible."_

_What are you talking about._

"_Forget I said anything Ichigo, I must simply be imagining things."_

_No, that's not like you at all, tell me!_

But the zanpakuto had already grown silent again, his awareness becoming so small and hidden that Ichigo couldn't find him.

_Damn it! They're both doing that entirely too often. Don't they know it's rude to disappear on someone like that?_

"Oy, Inoue."

"Yes, Kurosaki-kun?" Her silver eyes turned to regard him with such openness that he instantly regretted his decision to pry. Hadn't he just promised himself and her that he wouldn't do so?

"No, it's nothing."

She regarded him with a small frown on her face before turning her back to him. The two continued to walk in silence, while Ichigo warred with his desire to know more about what had happened to her. He had been positive that respecting her privacy was the right thing to do, but the interest Old-Man Zangetsu had exhibited in her was unsettling.

"We're here!" He looked up at the sound of her voice, snapping out of the cloud of his thoughts and looking up the stairs to her apartment.

"Yeah, oh by the way Inoue. Don't you still work at the bakery?"

"Yes! The owner was very understanding when I asked him for some time off and told me to come back whenever I was ready. I was going to give him a call tonight to let him know I'm free to go back."

"That's good, you sounded like you enjoyed your job a lot."

"I do! I've always wanted to have my own bakery one day!" Ichigo turned to look at her with shock evident on his face. Such a normal dream and desire. It was so out of place in the lives that they led that he found it almost foreign. The problems of Soul Society and Hueco Mundo had dominated such a large portion of his life that he had completely forgotten about any plans after high school.

_Seriously, what does a Substitute Shinigami do for a day job?_

Despite the shock he was feeling, Ichigo smiled at Inoue. How did she do it? How did she manage to find such an ordinary dream and want to stick to it, despite their crazy life? Somehow he found himself envying her.

For some strange reason she was blushing now though, and his smile quickly turned into a frown of confusion as he looked at the girl. The more he looked at her, the harder she seemed to blush. _What gives?_

"There's actually a lot of stuff I wish I could do, Kurosaki-kun." She looked at him through her lashes, her silver eyes shining.

For the first time he found himself wishing he could read her mind. There was something in her expression that conveyed a myriad of emotions that for the life of him he couldn't decipher. It was tantalizing and entrancing, and he felt a tug in the pit of his stomach. To him it was such a strange and foreign feeling that he dismissed it immediately.

"Later, Inoue." He said as he began to stalk off, waving absently behind him.

"Good-bye, Kurosaki-kun."

* * *

"Onii-chan!"

Ichigo glanced around the small living room at the sound of Yuzu calling out to him. He frowned as he walked into the kitchen, noting that his dad's usual greeting assault was missing, as well as Karin.

"Hey, Yuzu."

"Karin-chan and Otto-san aren't here, and I made dinner for all of us."

With a glance at the table Ichigo noticed that she really had made a lot of food. His favorite curry was steaming in a pot propped up on a suspender as well as pot of rice and a couple of rolls of bread.

"I'll eat with you and you can refrigerate the rest." Ichigo stated, setting his book bag down and proceeding to begin to serve himself.

"Why are you late Onii-chan?" Yuzu asked, wrinkling her nose in displeasure at his tardiness as she sat opposite him. Ichigo frowned at her question. He really should have hurried, Yuzu didn't like it when he was late and this would only inspire her questioning him on tings he didn't particularly feel like answering.

_The only way out is the truth this time Kurosaki_.

"I walked Inoue home today."

"Really?" Her disbelieving tone caught him so off guard his carefully aloof façade shattered in an instant.

"What? Why are you giving me that look?"

"I never imagined that you would be so gentlemanly as to walk Inoue-san home."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It's just that-" Whatever she was going to say was drowned out as his action pass began to screech at him. Looking down at the thing as it clung from his pants by its small chain Ichigo lifted the thing up gingerly. He held up a hand to stop Yuzu as he closed his eyes in concentration.

He was never particularly good at it. Chad, Ishida, and Inoue were always much better at sensing reiatsu than he was, but after such a long time even someone as unskilled at sensing as him was more than capable of sensing a hollow. It didn't usually take the alerting of his action pass for him to notice a hollow's presence. So why was it that he found it difficult to pinpoint the hollow's location?

His scowl deepened as he concentrated harder. _Where is it?_

"Onii-chan?"

_Anything, just the tiniest sliver of reiatsu_.

He couldn't find it, but his action pass continued to blare at him. Was the thing broken?

He almost gave up when he noticed something odd. He couldn't sense the hollow, but Inoue's reiatsu was flaring, and moving away fast from where her apartment should have been.

That strange pit in his stomach returned, only greater and accompanied with a feeling of dread.

"Yuzu!"

"Go, Onii-chan!" Not for the first time he was grateful that his sister was more aware of his secret life than before. Raising his badge to his chest, he felt the familiar tugging sensation in the back of his heart as his soul separated from his body.

Within seconds he was running through the streets of Karakura town, flash stepping as fast as he could. He had to get there this time.

_Inoue_

Her kind silver eyes kept staring at him accusingly every time he blinked. But why? Why was he getting this feeling? He would protect her, he always would. She was his friend, and he would make sure that nothing bad ever happened to her. So why couldn't he shake off this feeling of guilt. As if already he had failed her?

But most importantly, why did it only make itself known now?

He flash stepped one more time and he was standing in the middle of the street where Inoue's reiatsu had been seconds before.

_Damn it, where is she?_

Ichigo was positive that he had felt the girl's reaitsu in this exact spot not seconds before he showed up. And then he felt it. Its strength was overwhelming. Thick and heavy, and then suddenly gone. He had felt it for less than a second, but in that one second he had felt strangely weak. It was a feeling he hadn't felt in so long. His breath came in shallow gasps as he lowered his hand from its grip on Zangetsu's hilt. A couple blocks away he saw the strangely small and humanoid hollow begin to disintegrate. Not two feet away from the disintegrating hollow was Inoue.

From this distance Ichigo couldn't make out was in Orihime's hand. All he could see was the flow of reaitsu as it flowed from the object, and then with flash of golden light, she was standing there completely alone.

"Inoue!"

Her eyes widened comically as she found him. He flash stepped again and appeared before her, not caring for once that he closer than he was accustomed to.

"Are you okay?" His question was more of a shout, and he gripped her shoulders so tightly he was sure she must have felt uncomfortable, but for once he didn't care. Why was she the one who always got the hollows first? That was his job, protecting the town and his friends was the whole reason he had wanted his powers back, and yet here she was, fighting strange hollows and putting herself in danger when it should have been him who was fighting them in the first place.

"Of course Kurosaki-kun! I'm one tough cookie!" She raised her fists into the air and smiled widely at him, and not surprisingly, this only made him feel worse.

Despite her assurance that she was fine, he found himself mentally checking every part of her to make sure that she really was. She didn't seem injured, or even scratched, and for the first time since getting to her, Ichigo really began to assess the situation. That reiatsu he had felt earlier had been strikingly powerful, its presence so strong he had been too shocked to register anything else about it. Had it been the Hollow's? If it was, how on Earth had Inoue killed it, and seemingly without breaking a sweat.

His surprise must have registered across his face, because Inoue was already placing her treasured hair clips back onto the bracelet she carried them on. Ichigo had noticed that this was where she put them when she wasn't wearing her school uniform, and once again he felt the desire to ask her why she stopped wearing them in the first place.

"Tsubaki-kun and I have been training really hard, and I got a lucky shot in." She smiled up at him as she said this, answering his unspoken question. Ichigo felt his breath catch in his chest, and for the first time in a long time he felt a strange aching in his heart.

Why was Inoue lying to him?

* * *

Urahara

"I was wondering when they'd send you, Kuchiki-san. Soul Society must really be worried about this one if they waited so long before sending someone in." The shop-owner turned to look at the petite shinigami with concern evident on his face. He had noticed the change in the hollows recently, but had decided that this was something Soul Society would obviously want to keep under its jurisdiction. Over one hundred years later and they still didn't trust him. Really it was very silly, all things considered.

It was more Central 46's doing, of this he was sure of, and even Captain Kyoraku couldn't do much if the paranoid and arrogant ruling house decided something.

"Permission for these kinds of things take time. I was lucky they approved my journey to the World of the Living so quickly."

"Still uptight about that are they? I understand that they would be more cautious now, but really sometimes they do more harm than good this way."

Kuchiki-san wrinkled her nose at his statement but gave no indication that she would refute it. As he suspected; the shinigami were becoming more and more restless and resentful under Central 46's new "hands in everything" policy.

"I assume you've been denied permission to tell Kurosaki-san and his friends about this new… development?" Once again she answered him wordlessly, but the scowl and angry set of her shoulders told him all he needed to know.

"I see, I see. Well, I guess I should send them a message so I can inform them."

"But…"

Kisuke raised his hand and stopped her argument, giving her such a look that made it clear she wasn't to argue. "You may not have permission to tell them anything, but I have no such orders, in fact..." He raised his fan to his face and cheerfully waved it, giving Kuchiki-san a wide grin as he did so. "I do believe I'm still in exile!"

Even Kuchiki-san grinned widely at him, obviously enjoying his immediate use of the obvious and predictable loophole.

* * *

**AN: Whooo! That one took a while, but I wanted to make sure it had a good chunk of content in it. I hope I'm developing Ichigo and Orihime's dynamic well, it is a pretty tricky thing to figure out. On the one hand I have to make Ichigo seem interested, on the other can't have it happen too soon or make it too straight forward because that's not like Ichigo at all and so it's a clear no.**

**Anywho! I'm actually kind of happy with how this chapter turned out!**

**Thank you to everyone who has reviewed! JadeTheNinja, Ermilus, ChaoQueenJuou, Tahaku, alice Orihara Scarlet, Claro y Volcan, IchiHimelover86, KazumaKaname, and last but not least, the every beautiful GUEST! **

**Please review some more! Feedback is always craved/appreciated, even if its critical feedback. Got to improve right? Neh?**

**Chapter 5: Dates coming soon. And it's a juicy one. wink wink.**


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